I gave my yard a garden glow-up – a hidden find transformed my firepit, my tip keeps strays from using it as a litterbox
A HOMEOWNER upgraded their backyard garden with a few unique details, including a hidden gem that amplified their firepit.
The outdoor home renovation transformed the yard, and they even shared a trick to keep stray cats away.
Reddit user Katy119 gave her yard a garden glow-up that took place over two years.
She shared in a post how she and her partner began renovating her very first garden in February 2020 and finished it in May 2022.
Katy shared several photos of the before, after, and everything in between.
A few details made a huge difference from the furniture selection to her choice of plants.
She explained that they first moved into the house in July 2019, and the yard was a work in progress.
It had a “very sad patch of sand” where the previous owners had a fire pit.
They decided to dig out a ring and use bricks they found buried in the yard to build a pit with retaining bricks.
Katy showed in the photo how they upgraded the area with a pergola and some hanging chairs.
“We have tomatoes and herbs growing around it and two new fruit trees,” she added
In the photos, you can also see a rectangular, barren plot of dirt amid green grass.
“We ripped down an old rotted garden box and left a giant empty plot of land, so we did the only logical thing, make a flower bed,” she explained.
She admitted that she “definitely went flower-heavy in the beginning,” but it still elevated the outdoor area.
She recently shifted her focus to shrubs and trees to add some depth to the area.
“Nice work! Looks really lovely. The flowers and the seating are nice. You put a lot of work and effort into your garden,” a reader commented.
“It’s great and will look even better in a few years when the trees and bushes grow bigger.”
The Reddit user also revealed why it was important she chose “pollinator-friendly plants.”
Tips for keeping pests from your garden
*If you click on a link in this article, we may earn affiliate revenue.
- Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats.
- Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, $8, Amazon, over your flowerbeds.
- Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs.
- Spray plants with Neem Oil, $9, Target, to repel ants, flies, and spiders.
- Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth, $8.26, Amazon.
- Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds.
- Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails.
“We always get so many bees, butterflies, and birds and each year they keep coming back in larger groups,” she said.
The pair planted catmint to try to keep the stray cats from using their garden as a litterbox, which worked so well that “the bees love it also.”
“I didn’t know catmint did that and now I must plant! We have a neighborhood cat that likes to leave treats in our plant beds for my dog to eat,” a Redditor wrote.
“It definitely helps. From what I understand, it deters them because they like rolling in it or smelling it so they’re not going to poop there,” Katy replied.
She added that the cats still come by, but they just smell the catmint and leave.
